UQ #1 in Australia in influential Nature Index

The University of Queensland is the top-ranked institution in Australia in this year’s Nature Index of high-quality research outputs.

UQ has climbed from third in Australia last year to regain first position on the 2018 Top institutions table.

The University’s global position jumped 17 places, to 110 in the world.

Acting Vice-Chancellor Professor Aidan Byrne said UQ had consistently performed strongly in this influential index.

“Our leading research which contributed to this result illustrates the breadth of work being undertaken across our institutes, faculties and schools,” Professor Byrne said.

“From using peptides from spider venom to potentially reduce the impact of stroke, to investigating how climate change is affecting Antarctic habitat, UQ scientists are having an impact across a range of important disciplines.”

In addition to being number one in Australia on the Top institutions table, UQ is first in Australia in three other 2018 Nature tables – the Life Sciences subject table, the Nature and Science journal table and the Academic Institutions table.

“UQ is in the top 100 internationally in five tables, demonstrating our robust performance across disciplines ranging from neuroscience and genetics to ecology and astrophysics.

UQ was 60^th in the world in Life Sciences, and 86^th in the world in Earth and Environmental science subjects.

“This is an endorsement not only of UQ, but of the excellent research by Queensland scientists who are making a difference the world over, in medicine, health and the environment.

The Nature Index tables are based on weighted fractional counts of high-quality natural sciences research outputs published in Nature Index journals for the previous calendar year.

The 2018 Nature tables are available at https://www.natureindex.com/annual-tables/2018

Media: UQ Communications, communications@uq.edu.au, +61 7 3365 1120 or +61 413 601 248.